Amusement ride



Dec. 31, 1929. H. F. MAYNES 1,741,246

AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Sept. 20 1928 ,5 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 Elm MATTQRNEYj Dec. 31 1 929. H. F. MAYNEs AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Sept. 20

, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V IIIIIIIIIIIII III/III ATTORNEYS Filed Sept. 20, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 I NXINTOR mm ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 31, 1929 NITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE HYLA F. MAYNES, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EMMA C. MAYNES, OF NORTH TONAVANDA, NEV YORK AMUSEMENT RIDE Application filed September 20, 1928.

This invention relates to amusement rides of the undulating type in which a train of cars extends only part way around the track, and has for its object the provision of an improved cable drive for such rides. I

In my Reissue Patent No. 16,569 I have illustrated and described a circular undulating amusement ride driven by means of a cable. The patented ride, however, com- 0 prises a train of cars which completely encircles the track and is held on it by means of a series of sweeps radiating from a central stand pipe serving as a hub or pivot, the ride constituting in effect a large wheel. The cable which drives this wheel is supported in guide blocks, one mounted on each sweep, and the driving pull effected by friction alone, there being no positive connection between the ride and the cable. It is thus possible to lead the cable from the cable guides, about a driving sheave, and eventually back to the guide blocks without the necessity of providing means for releasing the cable from the guides on the ride. EV hen however, the train of cars extends only part way around the track it becomes impossible to drive it by means of a cable lying merely in guide blocks carried by the cars. Some positive gripping means must be provided. This in itself presents no great difficulty, but the problem immediately arises of releasing the clutches before the cable leaves the train to pass around the driving sheave, and of causing 0 them to grip the cable again when it returns to the train from the sheave.

According to the present invention I equip the train with a plurality of cable clutches and provide means for closing the clutches to seize the cable when the cars are out of alinement, as when passing over an undulation and for opening the clutches to release the cable when the cars are in alinement, as when passing over a flattened section or one straight in vertical elevation. Thus, by plac ing the driving sheave at a flattened section in the track the cable is free to leave and return and as the train is made long enough to extend beyond the flattened section enough grippers are always in operation to carry the train along.

preceding car.

Serial No. 307,248.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention. In these drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a circular ride showing the position of the driving cable and the manner in which it is driven;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the ride;

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the rela tive positions of four cars, two of which are passing over a flat section of the track, and one of the others descending an incline and the other ascending an incline; parts being broken away to show the action of the cable clutches under these conditions;

Figure 4 is a detail elevation of one of the cable clutches;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through a clutch taken along line 55 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of three cars with parts of the middle car broken away to show the clutch.

Referring first to Figure 1, 1 represents a circular undulating track over which a train of cars 2 is adapted to run. Motive power for the train is obtained through an endless cable 3 which follows the track and is carried by a series of grooved rollers 4, each roller being mounted at such an angle as to take the thrust of the cable substantially in the lane of the roller, the rollers all being mounted on the inside of the circle defined by the cable. The cable is driven by means of a sheave 5 mounted upon the rear of a truck 6 and driven by the engine of the truck. As illustrated in Figure 1 the cable leaves the guide rollers, passes beyond the circle of the track, around the drive sheave, an idler sheave 7, and thence back to the guide rollers 4;.

As illustrated in Figure 3, each car 8 of the train is supported upon the track by means of a pair of flanged wheels 9 situated at the rear of the car and at its forward end by means of a ball and socket joint 11, the ball being mounted on the forward end of the-supported car and the socket upon the rear end of the This ball and socket joint acts not only as a support for the following car but also acts as a coupling for the two cars. It is located a shortv distance below the level of the track as illustrated clearly in Figure 3 and on the center line of the train. The first car of the train is, of course, provided with a forward pair of supporting wheels.

As illustrated in Figure 8 and Figure 6 each car is provided with a depending plate 12 situated substantially along the median line of the car and having the curvature of the track itself. This plate extends for some distance below the track and terminates in a horizontal flange 13. It is upon the rear end of this plate that the socket of the ball and socket joint 11 is mounted. Power from the cable 3 is transmitted to the train 2 by means of clutches, one of which is mounted upon each plate 12 toward the rear of the car and just in advance of the wheels 9. he clutch comprises a lower and stationary jaw 18 and an upper and movable jaw is slidably mounted within vertical guideways 15 and constantly urged upward by means of springs 16. Mounted above the movable jaw 14 is a rocker arm 17 journaled within vertically adjustable bearing blocks 18. This rocker arm is provided at its lower end with two cam surfaces 19 and 20 designed to contact with a cam roller 22 mounted upon the upper end of jaw 14. The upper end of the rocker arm 17 terminates in a yoke 23 which carries a block 24 slidably mounted upon a rod 25. On either side of the block 2% the rod 25 is provided with compression coil springs 26 which abut against stops 27 in the form of threaded nuts mounted upon the rod 25. One end of the rod 25 extends to the left as illustrated in Figures 3 and a and is pivotally connected at 28 to the forward end of the following car.

The cable 3 is normally carried by the grooved rollers 4;. TV hen, however, the train is passing, the plates 12 pass between the rollers L and the cable, as illustrated in Figure 6, the cable lying upon the lower jaw 13 of the clutch and passing through a slot in the ball and socket joint 11, the cable in fact passing through the center of the ball itself,

the shape of the slot, flared at each end, making it possible for the cars to pass over the undulations without the oscillations of the ball pinching the cable.

I shall now described the operation of the clutch. As the train passes over the undulations in the track the cars, following the contour of the track, are thrown out of alinement. Thus,referring to Figure 3, the last car illustrated in that figure is shown moving down an incline while the next to the last car is on the level, the two cars being clearly out of alinement. The rear car is thrown forward relative to the car just preceding it, which throws the rod 25 forward, and through one of the springs 26, which cushions the thrust, and block 24 throws the upper end of the rocker arm 1'? forward, and by this movement moves cam 19 downward into contact with cam roller 22 which moves the movable jaw 14 of the clutch downward to grip the cable. Thus, as long as the cars main tain the relative position just described the clutch on the forward car of the two will grip the cable and transmit the pull thereof to the train.

' Let us consider now the situation when two adjoining cars are in alinement as illustrated by the two middle cars of Figure 3. Here the rod 25 is moved back-ward bringing the rocker arm 17 into vertical position, in which position the cam 19 is not in contact with cam roller 22 and the springs 16 are free to lift the jaw 14- out of contact with the cable, which is thus released. This alinement of two cars is eflected when the two are together on a straight section of track, but is also momentarily effected as the cars pass over a point where the curvature of the track changes from plus to minus or vice versa. As the train proceeds down an incline the rod 25 of eachpair of cars making the change in alinement is moved backward thus bringing the cam 20 into contact with cam roller 22. The resultant gripping action is the same as described previously.

By placing the ball and socket joint below the track and the pivot 28 of the rod 25 over the track, I obtain a long radius through which the pivot 28 swings as the cars move out of alinement, thereby obtaining move ment through a wide arc and hence effective operation of rocker arm 17. I also find it advantageous to place the cable along the center of the track and pass it through an open slot in the ball and socket joint 11. Due to the banking of the track and the undulations, the distance between corresponding points on adjacent cars lying along the rails varies slightly as the train traverses the track circle.

The ride operates as follows: During the movement of the cars the cable is continuously driven. As the train passes over the undulations of the track the clutches grip the cable and transmit its motion to the train. When the train reaches the flat section of the track adjacent the drive sheave the rocker arm of each car is swung into vertical position as the cars move into alinement, thus releasing each clutch in turn and enabling the cable to leave the track and move to the sheave. The cable is returned to the track and the train while the clutches are still open.

By means of the present invention I have therefore provided simple and effective means for automatically gripping the driving cable in an undulating ride when the cars are out of alinement as in passing over the undulations, and for automatically releasing the cable when the cars are in alinement, as when passing over a section of the track which is substantially straight or flattened sufficiently to cause the cars to move into substantial alinement and thus release the clutches. By placing the cable drive sheave at a straight or flat section the cable can freely leave the train and after passing around the sheave return to the train. Itis thus possible to drive the ride by a gasoline engine which is much more practicable for portable rides than driving by means of electric motors mounted upon the cars. It is also possible by means of this invention to do away with radial sweeps and still drive by means of a cable. This greatly simplifies the construction of the ride and therefore facilitates setting it up and taking it down.

I claim:

1. An amusement ride comprising the combination of an undulating track, a train of cars movable over the track, a cable for pulling the train, a cable clutch carried by the train, and means for automatically actuating the clutch to grip the cable when the cars are out of alinement.

2. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a track having undulations, a train of cars movable over the track, a cable for pulling the train, a cable clutch carried by the train, and means for automatically actuating the clutch to grip the cable when the cars are out of alinement, and for automatically releasing the clutch when the cars are in alinement.

3. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a track having undulating and flattened sections, a train of cars movable over the track, a cable following the track for pulling the train, a cable clutch carried by a car, and a connection between that car and an adjacent car for operating the clutch to grip the cable when the cars are out of alinement, as in passing over an undulation, and for releasing the clutch when the cars are in alinement, as in passing over a flattened section.

4. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a track having vertically curved and straight sections, a train of cars movable over the track, a cable following the track for pulling the train, a cable clutch carried by a car, and a connection between that car and an adjacent car for operating the clutch to grip the cable when the cars are out of alinement, and for releasing the clutch when the cars are in alinement.

5. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a track having undulating and flattened sections, a train of cars movable over the track, a cable following the track for pulling the train, a cable clutch carried by a car and having cablegripping jaws, a rocker arm for controlling the jaws, and a rod extending from an adjacent car to the rocker arm and movable to swing the rocker arm into clutching position when the cars are out of alinement, as in passing over an undulation, andinto cable releasing position train of cars movable over the track, the forward end of each car except the first being supported upon the rear end of the one just preceding by means of a ball and socket joint,

a cable following the track for pulling the train, a cable clutch carried by a car, a rod pivotally connected to the forward end of the following car at a point substantially above the ball and socket joint, and operatively connected to the clutch, whereby when the cars are out of alinement, as in moving over an undulation, the rod will be moved a substantial distance either forward or backward, and means operated by the rod for closing the clutch when the cars are out of alinement and for releasing the clutch when the cars are in alinement.

7. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a track having undulating and flattened sections, a train of cars movable over the track, a cable following the track for pulling the train, rollers supporting and guiding the cable, a plate carried by a car along substantially its median line and positioned to pass between the cable and its supporting rollers, a cable clutch carried by the plate, and a connection between that car and an adjacent car for operating the clutch to grip the cable when the cars are out of alinement, as in passing over an undulation, and for releasing the clutch when the cars are in alinement, as in passing over a flattened section.

8. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a track having undulations, a train of cars movable over the track, the forward end of each car except the first being supported upon the rear end of the one just preceding by means of a ball and socket joint, a cable following the track for pulling the train. and an open slot in the ball and socket joint through which the cable passes.

9. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a track having undulating and flattened sections, a train of cars movable over the track, the forward end of each car except the first being supported upon the rear end of the one just preceding by means of a ball and socket joint, a cable following the track for pulling the train, an open slot in the ball. and socket joint through which the cable passes, a cable clutch carried by a car, and a connection between that car and an adjacent car for operating the clutch to grip the cable when the cars are out of alinement,

as in passing over an undulation, and for re- 1 leasing the clutch when the cars are in alinement, as in passing over a flattened section.

10. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a' track having undulating and flattened sections, a train of cars movable over the track, a cable following the track for pulling the train, a cable clutch carried by a car, the clutch comprising a pair of relatively movable aws, a spring for normally urging them apart into releasing position, a rocker arm pivotally mounted above the jaws, cams on the lower ends of the arm, one designed to move the jaws into gripping position when the rocker arm'is swung forward and the other when the rocker arm is swung backward, the spring moving the jaws into releasing position when the rocker arm is vertical, and a rod extending from an adjacent car to the rocker arm and movable to swing the rocker arm into clutching position when the cars are out of alinement, as in passing over an undulation, and into cable releasing position when the cars are in alinement as in passing over a flattened section. 11. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a circular track, having undulating and flattened sections, a train of cars movable over the track and extending only part way around it, a cable for pulling the train, a drive sheave for the cable situated at a flat section, cable clutches carried by the cars, and means for automatically actuating the clutches to grip the cable when the cars are out of alinement as in passing over an undulation, and for automatically releasing the clutches when the cars are in alinement as in passing over a flattened section, whereby the cable clutches are open when the train passes the drive sheave and the cableis thus tree to pass to and from it.

12. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a circular track, having undulating and flattened sections, a train'ot cars movable over the track and extending only part way around it, a cable for pulling the train, a drive sheave for the cable situated beyond the track at a fiat section thereof, cable clutches carried by the cars and a connection between each clutch-carrying car and an adjacent car for operating the clutch to grip the cable when the cars are out of alinement as in passing over an undulation,

j and for releasing the clutch when the cars are in alinement, as in passing over a flattened section, whereby as each car passes the drive sheave the cable is free to pass from it to the drive sheave and freely return.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HYLA F. MAYNES. 

